How Early Should You Book a Company Christmas Party Venue?

A lot of companies start planning the holiday party around Thanksgiving. By then, the best December dates at many venues are already gone.

The short answer: for a Friday or Saturday night in December, start looking three to five months ahead, in late summer or early fall. For a large group or one specific night, start six months or more ahead. If you can be flexible on the day, you have a lot more room.

Here is what to do if you are already into October or November, why December fills so fast, and how far ahead to book for your group.

Can you book a company Christmas party venue if you're starting late?

Yes, short-notice bookings for company Christmas party venues are possible even if you're starting late, especially if it's already October or November. Don’t assume the season is gone; we once booked an event on a Wednesday for the following Saturday. Consider a weekday evening (Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday) as it opens up far more dates than the Friday and Saturday rush and keeps the party off employees’ weekends. Weekday holiday luncheons and January parties (after the December crunch) are also viable options. Call with flexible dates, including weekdays, to explore availability.

This late in the year, widen the search:

• A weekday evening. A Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evening opens up far more dates than the Friday and Saturday rush. It also keeps the party off employees’ weekends in a month already full of family plans.
• A weekday holiday luncheon. We host weekday luncheons as well as holiday parties.
• A January party. An after-the-holidays party skips the December crunch entirely.

Call with flexible dates, including weekdays.

Why December fills up first

Nearly every company wants the same few nights. Only a handful of Friday and Saturday nights fall between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the last weekend before Christmas competes with travel and family plans.

At Fleur de Lis Event Center in Mandeville, December has historically been one of our fastest-booking months, and many wedding couples book 7 to 24 months out. That means a lot of December Saturdays are gone before companies even start looking.

We don’t keep a formal waitlist for booked dates. Dates are first-come, first-served, so the group that calls first gets the night.

How far ahead to book

These are rules of thumb, not hard deadlines:

• 150 guests or more, or one specific Friday or Saturday: six months or more ahead, so by early summer.
• A mid-size party with a few possible dates: three to five months ahead, late summer through early fall.
• A weekday evening, a holiday luncheon or a smaller group: a few weeks to two months can still work.
• A January party: most venues have more open dates once the holiday rush is over.

Know your headcount before you pick a date

Fleur de Lis has three private event spaces, and your guest count decides which one you are checking:

• Private Restaurant: up to about 100 guests, with no formal guest minimum. It has its own entrance, restrooms, bar, front courtyard and covered patio. It works well for a department party or a holiday luncheon.
• Jazz Ballroom: works best for about 50 to 300 guests, with a star ceiling, a brick-top bar and two indoor fountains.
• Pontchartrain Ballroom: works best for about 100 to 500 guests, with a fiber-optic star ceiling, real gas lighting and a balcony that seats nearly 100 guests.
• Both ballrooms together: about 850 guests for a whole-company event.

Those ranges are guidelines, not minimums. Each space is private, with its own entrance, bar and restrooms, and each ballroom has its own New Orleans-style courtyard.

What to have ready when you call

• An approximate headcount (a range is fine)
• Two or three dates that work, including at least one weekday
• Lunch or evening
• Your bar plan: open bar, cash bar or a custom option
• Anything on the program, such as awards, speeches or a DJ. An in-house DJ is available as an add-on.

Details worth sorting out early

• Security. Uniformed police security is required for any event with an open bar. It is optional with a cash bar or no alcohol. Ask for the current price and build it into the budget from the start.
• Alcohol. Outside alcohol can’t be brought in, so plan the whole bar through the venue.
• Parking. It’s free and on site, with adjoining overflow parking.

Questions to ask any venue before you sign

1. Which of our dates are open, and in which room?
2. Is there a guest minimum? (Fleur de Lis has no hard guest minimum.)
3. When is the final headcount due, and can it change after that?
4. Is security required, and what does it cost?
5. Which of food, bar, tables, linens, setup and cleanup are included, and which are extra?
6. If our date is taken, is there a waitlist?

How can you check your company Christmas party date availability now?

The fastest way to find out what is open is to ask. If your company is in Mandeville, Covington, Madisonville, Slidell or anywhere around the Northshore and New Orleans area, call us at 985-626-9118 with your headcount and a few dates. Or schedule a tour and see the rooms in person.

Related: Christmas & Holiday Parties | Corporate Events | Ballrooms